I am writing this week’s Forward Today from Oklahoma City, where I’ve come to attend the Episcopal Youth Event. Once every three years, youth from the entire Episcopal Church gather for several days of worship, learning, service, and fellowship. As you can imagine, it’s an inspiring and energizing place to be.

Forward Movement has a table in the exhibit hall, and we are enjoying our conversation with youth and also with the adults who are here. Fans of Lent Madness will be interested to know that Tim Schenck and I will be hosting a contest tomorrow, as the youth vote on whether St. Longinus or St. Quiteria earns a place in the 2018 bracket. If you’d like to learn more about that, head over to the Lent Madness website.

Mostly though, I’m here to listen to younger leaders in the church. The youth who have gathered here are not the future of the church. They are the church. If you want to know how to make our church more hospitable to younger people, ask them! If you want more involvement of young leaders in your vestry or diocesan committees, ask them! If you want to know what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus as a high schooler, ask them! They are ready to testify, if we are ready to listen.

Watch coverage of this event at the Episcopal News Service. Find out who was at EYE from your diocese, and listen to the stories of their experience. Today the kids are visiting the Oklahoma City bombing memorial, and they’ll have that and many other rich experiences to share with you. I promise you, the conversation you have will be a blessing to you and to the young person who is offered a chance to testify to the power of God’s love in their lives and the world around them.

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